


The Badger's Loss

by thebadgerclan



Series: The Badger and The Serpent [3]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Character Death, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Grief/Mourning, Hurt/Comfort, Original Character Death(s), Sad, Wakes & Funerals
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-23
Updated: 2020-06-02
Packaged: 2021-03-03 00:54:41
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 1,508
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24342376
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thebadgerclan/pseuds/thebadgerclan
Summary: Y/N looses someone very close to her
Relationships: Severus Snape/Reader
Series: The Badger and The Serpent [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1725352
Comments: 2
Kudos: 37





	1. Chapter 1

Severus didn’t exactly want to admit it, but over the 2 years you’d been married, he’d grown quite close to Molly, your best friend. Similar to you, she’d matured from the Hufflepuff he once knew. She was kind, witty, and intelligent, all traits Severus admired in someone. Her chosen profession was even more admirable: an auror. She was quite successful too, capturing a total of 23 dark wizards in her year long career. 

The two of you spent quite a bit of time together, and by proxy, so did Severus. Molly was always one of his brightest students, so he held her to a higher standard than most. Your regular get togethers were Severus’ favorite parts of the week, as she was his friend now as well as yours. She felt like family to you, almost like a sister. Best friends since childhood, nothing could keep you apart. 

You were washing dishes one evening after dinner when the letter arrived. Molly’s owl, Pepper, was perched on the windowsill, patiently waiting for you to let him in. Severus was downstairs in his lab, brewing some potion for a demonstration tomorrow. “I need to get those essays graded,” you said aloud to yourself as you let Pepper inside. In his beak was an envelope with the Ministry seal on it. ~That’s weird~, you thought. ~Why would the Ministry be owling us? ~ 

You took the letter and gave Pepper a treat, but he did not leave. “Alright, you can stay,” you said to the owl before opening the envelope. ~ Mr. and Mrs. Snape, We are deeply saddened to inform you of the death of Auror Molly Barnes. She was hit with the Killing Curse this morning at 5:36 AM while in the pursuit of a dark wizard. You are receiving this letter because your address was on the list of names to notify in such an instance. We offer our sincerest condolences at this time.~ 

No. This was impossible. Molly wasn’t dead, Molly ~couldn’t~ be dead. You re-read the letter, trying to find some piece of evidence that it was fake. But you couldn’t find any. You fell to the ground, dropping the parchment. Tears fell on the ground. No, no, no! This isn’t real. You opened your mouth and screamed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This hurts me to write because Molly is based off my irl best friend Molly (if you're reading this, I'm sorry I killed you, ily b) This will be pretty short, 3-4 chapters mainly focusing on how Sev helps his wife in her grief


	2. Chapter 2

Severus was jolted from his focus hearing you scream. He dropped what he was working on and bolted up the stairs. “Y/N? Are you alright?” He saw you on the floor of your kitchen, shaking and sobbing. He crouched next to you, instinctively checking for injuries. “Y/N, sweetheart, please talk to me, what happened?” In response, you handed him the letter, unable to speak. 

“Merlin’s beard,” he whispered. “Y/N, I’m so sorry.” He felt tears forming in his own eyes, but fought them back. He needed to be strong for you. “She was just here! We saw her two days ago! She can’t be gone!” Severus pulled you into his arms. “I know Y/N, I know. It’s unfair.” He couldn’t think of what to say. He wouldn’t tell you she was in a better place, he knew you’d hate that. So he opted to hold you, just to be there as you cried. That was all he could really do.

***

“Come on love, it’s getting late, we should get to bed.” You’d been staring blankly at the wall for a few hours, tears still streaming down your face. “Alright,” you said, barely audible. Severus took your hand and led you upstairs to your bedroom. He dressed you in one of his shirts and tucked you into bed. You curled into his arms, still crying softly. “I can’t believe she’s gone,” you whisper.

“Me neither,” Severus responded. “She was so kind, Y/N. Her kindness, that’s what I remember most about her. Not her House, not her strange obsession with those muggle characters, not even her snide comments about my class. It’s her kindness.” You smiled. “She was the best.” Severus nodded. “Sleep, my badger.” The exhaustion of the day's events hit you all at once and your eyes slipped shut.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oops I never uploaded chapter 3 here

The next few days passed in relative silence. Severus had written to Dumbledore telling him what had happened and that neither of you would be in for at least a week. Dumbledore had responded with his condolences and a massive box of candies for you. They were gone within a day. The day of Molly’s funeral arrived, the weather was gorgeous. You dressed, and when you went downstairs, Severus was waiting for you.

“I’m here sweetheart,” he said, standing. “I’m right here.” You took his arm and he Apparated you to the cemetery. The area was decorated with yellow roses, representing yours and Molly’s house, Hufflepuff. Her family was gathered around the casket. Her mother embraced you tightly, crying into your shoulder. You soon looked at the casket. She looked so peaceful, as if she’d wake any minute. 

***

The service was beautiful, each attendee standing to list their favorite memory with Molly. Yours was obvious, the time you’d almost blown up the dungeons in potions. Severus had laughed when you shared that story. His was similar, the time she’d lost Hufflepuff 30 points by burning a hole through a cauldron. He’d laughed about it after, but he still had to replace it.

After everyone had left, you approached the grave. Crouching, you laid a bouquet of alstroemerias on the dirt as well as a note. ~Molly, my best friend. Nobody will ever replace you, but you already know that. Nor will I ever forget you. You were the best thing to ever happen to me, and I already miss you like crazy. I love you forever Molly Barnes, don’t you ever forget it. -Y/N.~

You stood with tears in your eyes and Severus immediately embraced you. “I know,” he whispered against your head. “I know, love. I’m here.” He Apparated you home, where Pepper was sitting on your windowsill. “You’re not going to leave me alone, huh?” you asked the owl He actually shook his head no at you, which made you laugh. Pepper hopped onto your arm and you set him next to Orion, your owl, in his cage. 

Severus ordered takeout that night and you spent the night in his arms. “I’m so sorry, love,” he said after a while. “I miss her too.” “She really did like you, you know. You were one of her favorite teachers.” Severus froze. “Really?” “Mhmm. And she wasn’t the only one.” He smiled. “Oh? Well who else was it?” “I don’t know, maybe your wife?” You turned in his arms and kissed him. “I love you badger.” “I love you more.” For the first time in a while, you felt happy.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Last chapter!

The next few months were very difficult to say the least. There were things that reminded you so much of Molly that they brought tears to your eyes each time. Severus was an angel, always making sure you knew he was there if you needed a shoulder to lean on, an ear to listen, or a pair of arms to hold you.

You visited her grave frequently, bringing a different bouquet of flowers each time. Roses, lilies, daffodils. Someone cleared the old flowers before you visited each week, leaving the grass in front of the headstone clear for the new ones. Severus came with you this week, his arm secure around your shoulder as you stood before the grave.

“I don’t know how it’s possible,” you say, crouching on the ground, Severus doing the same. “But I miss you more every day. Every morning I wake up and think there’s no way I can miss you more than I did yesterday, but every day I prove myself wrong. I know it’ll get easier, but right now, it feels like it never will. I love you Molly Barnes, never forget that.”

Severus kisses your temple. “Molly,” he says. “I never thought I’d be at your grave, I thought I’d be long gone before that happened. I especially never thought I’d be here married to your best friend, but here we are. You may have been a pain in my ass when you were in school, hell, Y/N was too, but you became one of my closest friends these past 2 years as well. The sky has gained another star.”

He took your hand as you stood, pulling you into his arms. It broke him to see you this way, but he’d never let you see that he was breaking inside too. Obviously, not as much as you were, but his heart was cracked as well. Severus knew you needed him to be strong for both of you right now, and he was more than willing to do so, because he knew when he eventually broke, you’d be strong for him. That’s how you two worked, when one was weak, the other was strong. The pain was too much to bear at some times, but you knew you’d come out of this, stronger than ever


End file.
